


All My Admirers

by ZombieBabs



Series: The Demon Within (Is A Total Bro) [2]
Category: The Black Tapes Podcast
Genre: Comment Fic, Crack Treated Seriously, Demonic Possession, Gen, Humor, Jealousy, Paranormal Investigators, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-01-04
Packaged: 2018-05-11 18:44:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5637853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZombieBabs/pseuds/ZombieBabs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex, Strand, and the demon possessing Strand go on an investigation with Dirk Abruzzie, popular host of the TV show Demon Hunters. </p><p>It goes about as well as one might expect.</p><p>*Edited 7.21.17</p>
            </blockquote>





	All My Admirers

He’s never been so furious. Thousands of years old and never in his _life_ has the demon been so angry.

It's gotten to the point he's muttering to himself.

“Why? Why did I let Alex talk me into this?”

"Is it because she's so damn cute? It's because she's so damn cute, isn't it?"

"Why couldn't we have just invited her out for drinks?"

He’s placed himself far away from the so-called Demon Hunters, his arms crossed over his chest. In moments like these, he's thankful of Strand’s unfriendly persona. It means no one will question the frown growing deeper on his face by the minute. He doesn’t have to play nice here.

Not that he ever, really, plays nice.

 _Alex didn’t talk you into anything_ , Strand says. _She asked and you jumped at the opportunity to spend time with her._

“No one asked you, Strand.”

“Alex, watch this,” Dirk Abruzzie says. He cups his hands around his mouth and shouts into the empty darkness of the abandoned tunnel. “Come out, you demons! I’m not afraid of you!”

Alex watches, an amused smile on her face. Jealousy flairs up. He’s not sure whether the emotion is his own or that of his vessel, but he shoves it way down inside of him.

“How long does it usually take a for the demon to show up?” Alex asks. She points her recorder closer to the reality TV star.

Abruzzie puts on a smile, dripping with condescension. “Sorry, doll, but you’re mic is going to interfere with our equipment. Can you turn it off for me? Thatta girl.”

Alex bristles, like a cat rubbed the wrong way. "Oh, sorry."

Alex drops her arm, but the light on the machine is still on. The metaphorical tape is still rolling.

The demon has to hold back a cackle. “Alex is so _smart_. Of course she knows her mic isn’t interfering with any of their so-called equipment.”

An answering sense of pride and want swells within Strand.

The demon smirks. “You and me both, buddy.”

“You didn’t answer my question, Mr. Abruzzie,” Alex says.

Abruzzie leans into Alex’s space and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. “Please, call me Dirk. All my admirers do.”

One of the lamps explodes.

Alex and a few of the technicians shriek.

Abruzzie’s eyes widen with what the demon is pleased to see is fear. He hides it behind his typical bluster. “You see, demon! I told you I wasn’t afraid!”

Alex, hand on her chest, turns to look in the demon’s direction. She looks embarrassed at having been startled. Her cheeks are an adorable shade of pink. “I think Dr. Strand would just call that apophenia.”

“Correct,” says the demon. He tries to tap down on the rage still burning inside him. Inside them, he corrects. Strand's anger is practically incendiary. “I’m sure there is a logical, _scientific_ explanation for the lamp exploding.”

Abruzzie rolls his eyes. “Spoken like a true non-believer. By the end of this little adventure, you’ll change your tune.”

The demon contemplates lighting the man on fire. Or turning his hair into snakes. See how many admirers he has then.

 _Calm down_ , Strand says, as soon as the attention is away from them.

“ _You_ calm down,” the demon retorts, quiet and sharp despite the childishness of the response.

“What did you say, Dr. Strand?” Alex comes to stand beside him, still watching Abruzzie shout at an empty tunnel.

“Ah, nothing,” the demon says, way too quickly.

Strand flinches.

Alex looks at him, but thankfully, she doesn’t call him out on his obvious lie. “Thanks for coming with me. I know this isn’t typically your thing, but I thought it might be good for the podcast. Guess I should have known Demon Hunters wasn’t going to be a legitimate paranormal investigation.”

The demon pastes on Strand's signature wry smile. “While it may not be my _thing_ , I am pleased that you invited me.”

“Oh, good," Alex says. "because you didn’t look all that pleased before.”

“I apologize. I find Mr. Abruzzie’s methods to be quite ridiculous.”

Alex grins. “Please, Dr. Strand. You must call him Dirk. All his admirers do.”

Inwardly, both Strand and the demon smile like absolute love-sick idiots. Outwardly, the demon manages a quiet laugh.

Really, neither he nor Strand have anything to be worried over.

Alex stands with him for the rest of the evening, watching and trading comments about Abruzzie and his over-the-top methods. The demon looks down at her, noting her hair has come free from behind her ear. He likes it better that way anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> *Edited 7.21.17


End file.
